Launching device for flying-machines



M. STUPAR. LAUNCHING DEVICE FOR FLYING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 10, I919- Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAX STUPAR, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ABRAHAM J. ELIAS, OFBUFFALO, NEW YORK.

LAUNCHING- DEVICE FOR FLYING-MACHINES.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

Original application filed June 25, 1919, Serial No. 306,613. Dividedand this application filed December To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, MAX STUPAR, a citizen of the United States, residingat Buifalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful improvements in Launching Devices forFlying-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates generally to heavier-than-air flyingmachines and more particularly to hydroaeroplanes of the type describedand claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 306,613, which wasfiled June 25, 1919, and of which the prescut application is a division.

Among the various objects of the invention included in the presentapplication, I aim to provide a novel efficient launching arrangementand particularly one by means of which eiiective launching may beaccomplished from shipboard while either stationary or in motion.

Another object is the provision of a novel launching arrangementincluding means by which the operator may control the release of themachine from the pilots seat.

A still further object is the provision of a novel launching deviceincluding a launching skid which is freely movable overboard and whichis provided with means acting to promptly carry the same out of the pathof movement of the ship from which thelaunching takes place. With theseand other objects, my present im rovements reside specifically in thedetai s of construction, arrangement and operation to be now describedwith respect to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of thisspecification, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating myimproved launching device complete,

Fig. 2 is a detail side View of the launching skid,

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view thereof,

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section partially through the launchingdevice taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a detail longitudinal sectionthrough a portion of the fuselageof the machine adjacent to the cable release hook.

Referring now to these figures, I have generally indicated the fuselageof a hydro- Serial No. 343,749.

aeroplane at 10 in Fig. 1, which in addition to its fuselage 10 includeswings 11, a forof a pair of spaced parallel longitudinal cradle beams 17of a skid frame.

The frame of the skid consists, in addition to the cradle beams justmentioned, of cross beams 17, and has lower lengthwise extending andlaterally spaced side beams 18 having T rails 19 along their lowersurfaces.

Hydroaeroplanes are commonly launched from shipboard but asdistinguished from the devices now utilized for this purpose, myinvention proposes a roller-mounted runway 20, preferably made inlengthwise sections 21 and 22 as seen in Fig. 1, which may be bolted orotherwise connected at their abutting ends to form a device of a lengthsuitable or adaptable to the available deck space, with one end, namelythe outer end of the roller mounted runway, terminating adjacent to theout-board of the vessel. Each of the sections of this runway 20comprises parallel beams 23 at each side rigidly connected and braced intheir stated relation, and supporting bearings 23 for I shafts 24 ofannularly grooved rollers 25,

the grooves of the latter of which receive the lower T rails of the skidas above mentioned.

By virtue of the cradle beams of the skid, the latter is obviouslyadapted for the convenient reception of the pontoons 14 of theaeroplane, the machine thus resting easily and freely on the skid orcradle, and normally held against movement on the runway by means of ananchor line 26, which as seen in Fig. 1 extends to a hook 27 mounted inconnection with the fuselage 10.

This anchor line extends from some suitable stationary part of thevessel and upon its release, in a manner to be presently described, theaeroplane with the skid or cradle moves over the runway and outwardlyoff of the deck of the ship in connection with the skid or cradle fromwhich point the hydroaeroplane rises in the air and the cradle or skidfalls free therefrom into the water.

Immediately upon its entrance into the water the cradle or skid turnslaterally in one direction away from the vessel, by virtue of stationaryinclined rudders 29 located at the rear ends of the longitudinal beamsof the skid as seen particularly in Fig. 3, so that the cradle or skidwill thus be shifted outof the path of movement of the vessel anddisastrous contact between the two will be avoided.

After each launching the cradle or skid is drawn toward the vessel andagain raised to the launching deck by means of a line 30 which as seenin Fig. 1 is attached to a ring 31 in the rear cross beam of the cradleor skid.

In order that the pilot or operator may control, from his seat, therelease of the aeroplane in the first instance, the hook 27 beforedescribed, and as seen particularly in Figs. 5 and 6 is fulcrumed at 32in a bracket 33 in the lower portion of the fuselage 10 at a pointadjacent to the pilots seat and has an upstanding lug 3 1 normallyengaged by a treadle 35 pivoted in the bracket. Thus downward pressureupon the foot piece 36 of treadle 35 frees the treadle from the hook lugand permitsthe hook to swing downwardly and rearwardly and thus releasethe anchor line. In this way, the pilot can take his seat and after thepropeller has been set in motion and according to the pilots judgmentthedesired starting pull has been reached, the pilot simply releases thehook and the launching is completed as before described.

I claim 1. A launching device for flyingmachines comprising a rollerfcarrying runway, a supporting cradle movable on the rollers of therunway and beyond the runway at its extremity, and water rudders carriedby said cradle.

2. A launching device for flying machines comprising a roller carryingrunway, a supporting cradle movable on the rollers of the runway andbeyond the runway at its extremity and permanently angular water rudderscarried by said cradle for directing its course in water, as described.

3. A launching device comprising a roller mounted runway, a cradlemovable in guided non-attached relation on the runway and freelytherefrom, rigid means on the cradle for supporting a flying machine innon-attached relation thereon and rigid means on the cradle for guidingthe same in the water when it moves off the runway, as described. A

4:. A launching device for flying machines, comprising a roller mountedrunway, a

.cradle movable in guided, non-attached relation on the runway andfreely therefrom and having means to support a flying machine innon-attached relation, means for guiding the cradle in the water when itleaves the runway, and retrieving means having connection with the saidcradle, as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

MAX STUPAR.

